At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
When crime on the street can effectively be warded off by a lollipop, that's when you know that Sweden must be a pretty magical place to live.
Free candy is to be handed out to encourage calm summer nights in the Swedish city of Karlstad, with 10,000 lollipops distributed to revellers [sic] in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday.
“We have orange, green, yellow, pink, blue… Everything from raspberry to orange, so I am sure we have something for everyone,” said Matilda Hansson of the local authority behind the scheme, to local paper Nya Wermlandstidningen (NWT)
From this Friday night, volunteers will be distributing the colourful array of sweets on the streets of Karlstad to the general public as they emerge from the bars and clubs at closing time.
...[Hansson] said that the contact with those who dole out the sweets could be as important as the lollipop itself. Giving out lollipops will therefore be one way of making contact and increase safety on Karlstad’s streets during the summer.
With a top income tax rate of 57%, a corporate tax rate of 26.3%, a VAT tax, a capital gains tax, and a property tax, Sweden's system of taxation is certainly burdensome. But so what? A raspberry lollipop courtesy of the government after a late night at the bars makes it all worth it.
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Oct '10
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
Just what is in the candy ?
Mar '11
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
Just don't have sex without a condom - then the nanny turns nasty. Ask Mr Assange (though I have no sympathy for him).
Apr '11
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
That's pretty funny. But, given that Sweden's economy and public finances are in far better shape than ours, can we really afford to be so smugly dismissive towards their tax rates?
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
From 1980 through 2009, the Swedes outpaced the U.S. in economic growth only 9 of those years. During that time period, the average annual GDP growth for the U.S. was 2.81% versus only 1.91 for the Swedes. Yes, they've made a swift recovery as of 2010, but I think you'd be hard pressed to explain how high tax rates is the reason for their success.
Apr '11
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
Diane Ellis, Ed.
From 1980 through 2009, the Swedes outpaced the U.S. in economic growth only 9 of those years. During that time period, the average annual GDP growth for the U.S. was 2.81% versus only 1.91 for the Swedes. Yes, they've made a swift recovery as of 2010, but I think you'd be hard pressed to explain how high tax rates is the reason for their success. · Jul 14 at 11:20am
Perhaps my post was poorly worded. My intention was not to defend their tax rates, but rather to point out that we Americans are living in a glass house.
May '10
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
Somehow, I expect more Swedes move to America than Americans move to Sweden. I wonder why.
That's not purely rhetorical. I know some Swedes who finally became American citizens just a few months ago. I'm still hoping one of them will respond to my request to explain that choice for Ricochet. It might have something to do with the fact that their son was born here and fights for the Marines.
Jul '10
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
Put another couple of points on the tax rate and the government can afford to send someone home with the revelers and tuck them in bed.
Apr '11
Re: At Least the Swedish Government Is a Really Nice Nanny
At least they're not suckers.